Myth
by AyaplusBeat
Summary: Truth is little and far between. Amorra.
1. Fable

"Scared to death is a rather intense metaphor, wouldn't you think?"

He was incredibly handsome, a quality she have never dreamed to admit previously. The deep blue of his eyes reminded her of ice, cool and settled like stone. Substance, a heart moved to rock. She could see the pain, and the torture, and the sorrow within him, she wanted to reach out and touch it.

To understand him.

It was her task anyway, heal the scars , mend the bridges around broken around her. As the Avatar she was required to learn forgiveness, a lesson Aang focused heavily on to begin with. Her former self is everything better than the stories, but that is another time. "Will you walk with me?"

She kept calm and out stretched her hand in invitation. The definite amount of time between becoming fully realized and this moment prepared her well, he was incapable of frightening her. He, himself refrained the notion, eyeing her questioningly. Perhaps accepting her kindness was the wiser decision.

No one was around to bother them, he had hid away in solitude for the most part.

"You're avoiding my question Avatar." Yes, he couldn't dream of scaring her now, but he terrified her once. She might as well have died from the nightmares he stirred in her all those occasions. Experiencing the real thing, however; that stirred only sorrow and the deepest regrets inside her soul. The idea of death drifted in her mind that day, suicide, a path for a new Avatar in part to all her failings.

So now she could understand him. "I don't know, perhaps it is. When you're in a position like that usually you've felt nothing worse before, so it is extreme and very traumatizing."

She caught him biting his lip, he needed to think it over, she understood. Her hand remained outstretched and for a moment she could have sworn the air became colder. His presence was scorching, feeling the tip of her fingers indignantly . "I'll walk with you."

Her smile was barely containable.

Jolting into reality she remembered Mako had wanted to walk with her a few times during the morning, to help wake her up he had said. The fire bender went great lengths to get along with her since his revelation and their consented kiss in the snow. Still they argued fiercely, mornings were growing dull and she lacked enthusiasm for it.

Amon—Noatak was here with her now, and the sun had was beating down on her in the glow of afternoon. Mako and mornings should be far from her mind, she desired it this way and thusly took Noatak's hand in hers without second thought.

They had no planned destination, simply walking where ever as he searched for things to say. Instead he watched her, she would gaze off to the side with a dreamy stare once in awhile, otherwise looking over his arm like he could be her next meal.

Reading deeper into his soul was difficult, but she believed herself to be able to do it. Being the Avatar came with many wonderful gifts, this would be one of them, she was sure of it. Pins and needles poked into the bone of her forearm, their shoulders rubbed together and warmed her up considerably.

"Gosh it's cold." She wasn't wearing her parka. Had she thought she needed it matters would be different, yet instead she found a way to draw him in closer. Today was the third in a row she found him, prating on about mild subjects. He was the one to ask the extreme questions, finding strange comfort in being with her like this.

She was always cold during their meetings and he wondered how much of it was her wishing to take advantage of him—he knew very little of her personality beyond their battles. Perhaps her subconscious demanded his attention, and he was well aware very few ideas were purposely planned on her part. Korra dived into situations without a second thought.

Mako told her once he loved laid back animals like Pabu. It contradicted greatly with Bolin, but it was the perfect medium for himself. She opted finding the perfect creature now, wanting to give him a present to make up for their last fight. A baby otter-kitten, mildest in temperament compared to the rest of the little that she bought relatively free of charge from her status alone. He had Pema sow a little scarf for it, and presented it to Mako in sheer excitement.

He was pleased, placing chaste kisses all over her face like he would when he was happy and feeling silly. The point of explaining all this though, was that in a matter of days the cute creature began avoiding Mako altogether.

"That's what was so weird, Gen—that's what we named him, was curled up at the foot of my bed this morning. In fact I'll see him crawl up on my window sill in the evenings."

"That is highly interesting." Noatak groaned, somewhere along the lines their arms intertwined.

"No, no, weirder yet is Mako found Gen's scarf in the bushes near the gardens the other day all bloodied up. I checked him over, and I saw no scars or wounds. I wonder how it got out there, like maybe another small animal stole it during a hunt or something like that."

"And that's why you were scared to death?"

"I was worried! Sheesh." He resisted a chuckled at her defense. "He had a fever though."

Reluctantly in a similar manner to Noatak's own warmth, and just as similarly she was always cold when Gen entered her room. Tonight she'd build up a fire and snuggle the kitten in blankets, sweat out the fever as it were. Maybe even slip into Mako's room and nestle Gen in beside him, it could be another present since she and Mako were already at each others throats again earlier that day.

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I'd greatly love some heavy feedback involving this piece in particular. _Please_? x3


	2. Fissure

Things seldom go as planned.

Korra had been setting up to visit Noatak later that evening, hard pressed in frustration. The kitten strayed far from her quarters the other night, Mako instead breaking the tension and asking if he could stay the night himself.

The few plans she had the courtesy to mull over always went sour. At least finding a space free of anyone wasn't as hard as everything else. She crossed her legs, sitting down in the dirt near many sweet smelling flowers of the garden. Meditation was a required ritual before meeting him.

With deep regret she realized last night she had forgotten to perform this. No, don't remind yourself.

Thick shrubbery curled as vines and flower stems across the stone that was the side of the outer temple, smoke and incense wafting through the air. The garden was preferable to the other possible hide-aways she kept, the most peaceful in all regards, and none looked for her here.

How Mako found Gen's scarf, she'll never know, but she forced the thought back out. She pushed away Aang, all of her previous incarnations made a banter she couldn't weave through. It was impossible to imagine herself formally so impatient. The irony.

The setting of the sun poised such an ominous setting, shadows bounced about the leaves and the wind hummed a quiet tune that might be mistaken for whispering child. She knew no children passed here in the evenings—she had not thought to visit Noatak this late, hopefully he wouldn't be sleeping.

Could he sleep? Probably, he and her weren't too different in retrospect.

Air whipped past her ankle and a bone chilling cry snapped her into attention. "Gen…" The kitten nuzzled at her thigh, making a shiver shoot up her body. What good would it do to ignore the creature, oh did she want to ignore it; it needn't wait now could it, forcing itself on her where she refused to let it remind her, the worst place to be reminded above all.

":You led him to it, didn't you? You nasty thing." But she lifted into her lap, petting tenderly at it's back. Most of all, cautiously avoiding contact to it's neck. "And still you also come running back to me, it's hard to like you here in the Garden and you know that. Just this once, okay? Being here together stirs up bad memories."

Gen purred happily, rolling over and forcing her to look out ahead.

Having it in her lap mustn't distract her. Why, meditating successfully this way would be an extreme feat on her part.

Leaving the kit to the back of her mind she prepared herself. The journey would be short, although it compared to diving into the flowing, ice cool waters back home. He refrained from hiding so he was rather easy to spot. He had a usual place to stay, blanketed under a void of white stinging air.

He indeedly wasn't asleep, the older man happened to be drifting aimlessly about. Gleefully she tugged on his arm, "Miss me?"

"Doubtfully." Yet however indifferently he felt, he turned the tables and prattled on for her. The closeness made her head spin. He had been warm as always, heat radiating off him like furnace, better than any flickering flame Mako produced.

Most idle thoughts of Mako held a resentful tone, she was heavily aware and it caused her to bite her lip to a point where it bled.

"But I'm sure you're really lonely."

Their union continued to grow on account of this. He truly couldn't deny this underlying part of his personality. In several ways Korra herself understood, aiding in his reconciliation . Mako forced loneliness upon her, distancing her . The fire bender might as well be chaining her down to bed and letting her rot until her hair is gray and her skin is ashen.

"The way you say that, you could just break up with the boy." Noatak's passive nature didn't fit.

"Shouldn't you have better advice, be meaner? I mean, you ran an entire revolution?"

He looked her over with respite, ready to stand his ground but she would have none of it. Her body turned quickly out of whatever embrace they'd been in, he hooked onto her waist dragging her back faster than she dreamed. "You know better."

Another thing that came to her through the ease of time was a thick, hearty growl "Do I?" Proof that months of arguing only paid in anger.

"Settle down." He pulled her into his chest, her back rubbing against him.

She left as quickly as she'd come, always soothed and calm from the visit. The man's wisdom overwhelmed her, stripping Mako so completely from her mind. Maybe he was right, maybe she should end it peaceably .

A yelp woke her up, mewls buzzing on her fingers from the creature in her lap. She blinked and cracked her neck, the sun fully set, more shadows bouncing around. They were inviting and she choked back a silent moan.

Yes she was soothed, and she was also sad.

"Korra?" Echoed Mako's subtle voice, destroying the balance of the dark forms slithering on the ground. With a heavy sigh she cradled the buddle of warmth and chucked it right at the temple's wall, a sickening crunch following the helpless yelp after it.

"Korra?"

"Over here, sorry, meditating." She waved, sitting up and dusting herself off. He appeared round the corner in mild relief, holding flowers in one hand and scratching the back of his head with the other. The sight crushed her with guilt, because she didn't feel guilty at all.

Mako should be repenting, just like Noatak, now shouldn't he?" Korra refused to kiss him, gladly taking the bouquet highly credited to Bolin's gentlemanly wit and dashed to her room briefly.

"Nya…" Sounded from the center of bed. A kitten mewing.

Mako starred off at the wall, it was always such a beautiful sight. In the dark the unblemished granite seemed ten times more marvelous—he trailed after her with a smile.


	3. Enmity

Sorry again that I haven't been updating lately. But here's two chapters for everyone whom I've kept waiting x3

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The theory of opposites attracting is so utterly alluring it causes the synapses of our entire being to fall in love with an idea. A distant, cruel and charming fire bender was the first idea, hers and hers alone in the reality that it took the thought of loosing her for him to see.

When he saw, this first idea got boring. He was brand new book with lovely pages, but the content was an over used story. Not that she didn't love him, you can't lie to yourself and say you don't love what kisses you ritualistically and on occasion makes you laugh.

Whole heartedly Korra found Mako to be wonderful. However, we grow tired of old ideas, new ones simply must be made. More so whole heartedly Korra was bored in general.

Balance. What was that? Apparently doing good will and punishing evil doers. Korra had obviously learned the history of her past lives, granted Aang dominated all of her teachings. She was his legacy, he was a pacifist.

Kyoshi appealed to her, yet little could be known of what walking in the deities' life could be. Knowingly Avatar Kyoshi's death toll is one, beginning Korra's strange fascination with how many were murdered behind closed eyes. It cured her boredom.

Tenzin, nor anyone else really questioned her. Studying her past lives was good, splendid even. Getting Korra to study had been the old man's least favourite past time. He wasn't aware she ignored Aang, or that she reveled in wandering through the spirit world daily.

It charmed her with it's unique atmosphere .

Mako hooked his arm around her waist, the waves of Yue Bay gentle and welcoming. Korra herself was looking the other way, thinking perhaps. Lately she was solemn in her feats, and he blamed himself for it. He counted the months they'd been dating; the more time passed the more distant she seemed to grow from his grasp.

She was growing up and he was growing surprised. As of late he'd ask Bolin for advice, finding comfort in his brothers courting wisdom. Flowers, gifts, learn to listen,— normal, commonly understood practices. He refused to shut Bolin's idea off, instead trying to refine them. On an entirely different front, he worried for her.

Within these slow six months dark shadows enveloped under her eyes and her temper grew ten fold. The small things triggered her. He wanted so badly to comfort her, but she rarely entertained herself to the company of others anymore.

This moment, tugging her close and smelling her scent, kissing her neck, this was rare.

"I really don't think he likes you." She shrugged him off.

"He was in your bed again? He must want you to feel less alone." Gen, the kitten surprised him. He was the one to buy her the gifts, to say sorry as of late, to make up the loose ends for their relationship. Seeing her with the little creature warmed his heart.

It slept with him for a week, and he fell in love with the darling. Naming it, he signified Gen was his to preciously care for. That's why it sunk his heart to the deepest depths having lost him during a vicious fight with Korra.

Finding his tiny scarf in the garden worried him. In a way, Gen was the bridge of their relationship. Hearing the kit found it's way to Korra alleviated his nerves.

"I tried to sneak him in your room the other night, but the smart jerk strayed off. He knew what I was thinking!"

He smiled, side stepping from her, watching the waters churn from the ferry engine. The light jokes she spouted reminded him somewhere deep inside her she was feeling okay, and that with enough effort he'd be able to make her feel okay.

"Do you wanna have dinner?"

"No, not tonight. I need to meditate, forgot to this morning."

"You meditate a lot," He sighed, debating whether to let himself get close again or not. "Tenzin's happy, you're inspiring the children to do better. But I miss the inattentiveness studies make you harbor."

Suddenly the boats railing was her best friend. "It's important to keep the practice. Part of being such role model is a have good habits now."

"Yes, I'm not denying that Korra. Just, I miss you okay."

"—I'm here now."

He tried not to glare. "I love being around you, I love you remember?"

"Then you'd understand." She snapped.

Caution was thrown to the wind and he purposely invaded her space, finding her hand to massage it. She snatched away and held back a stinging slap very much wishing to hit his sour looking face. He winced, stepping back immediately. "…I'm sorry." He croaked.

She glowered.

"My offer still stands."

A few times he asked to join her, wishing to find common ground with her. They sparred and made crass conversation together but it lacked peaceable moments. Then, they could meditate as a couple, and he planned to sneak glances at her wonderful face.

Korra bitterly denied. She wanted to think it over.

"Maybe."

He shifted in defeat.

Mako is an old idea, a very, very old idea. Tonight she'd wander off to meet with Noatak, part of her ritual now, and purposely her habit. The old water bender is interesting, and he'd be more than willing to give her his patience.

Stepping off the ferry became ominous. One of the children was crying, running into Korra's gentle embrace. "H-He's dead."

"Whose dead?" Inquired of Mako.

On a towel near the door laid cute, furry Gen, his head bent out of place with chunks of dried blood coating him. The poor creatures dead eyes starred off into nothing.


	4. Eminence

She'd lay there way with her hair loose and falling over her shoulder, completely at ease here with him. A breath of fresh air. Noatak hadn't questioned her desire for comfort, so she took the opportunity in whole heart.

The empty void that was the here felt cool against her bared skin too, soothing her sore muscles from such a harsh morning in practice. Mako kept her company all morning and it proved fruitless. Something about it made her so tired she needed to lay down.

A gentle touch shocked her awake—had she been so worn she was even falling asleep in Noatak's ever watchful company? It seemed so.

Korra wasn't the type to invite strange forms of intimacy into play with anyone out of the blue, but he was only touching her hand and that seemed just fine. She was on her stomach, her breasts pressing into the stony, white nothingness allowing her to lay perhaps too serenely after second thought.

"Getting too comfortable?" He teased her, starting to stroke all the lines on her palm absently.

She snorted. "Can you predict my future, because that is why you're feeling up my hand right?"

"You are the cause of your predetermined fate." He tried being mystical. It was enough to make her chuckle, and she tapped her nose briefly. "Hmm, your love line shifts. I'd like to think now you're coming to terms with breaking up with that Mako boy."

"I suppose I have." She tugged her hand away to stretch herself, folding her hands and sitting up. "But everyone knows that love lines," she made air quotes in amusement ,"are on the other hand."

He shrugged shamelessly and she was pleased to see light slowly returning to his eyes. They'd been so dark even if he, himself, allowed her company. "You're just about right I think." This lightness would make it easier, as she was barely ready to handle anything dark or decrepit. Not to mention she had been growing excited at the prospect .

His features hardened. "I'm no cat Korra, and despite that, I'm also not ripe enough. Don't you require something more substantially free of demons?"

"I'm sorry I can't be the perfect therapist. And for the love of crap stop speaking like that."

"I'm doing my best."

She sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose just as uncharacteristically as his speech. Both were new habits , granted when she'd run into Noatak as he was Amon their conversation was short and straight to the point. There hadn't been enough idle chit chat for her to deem what was truly his manner of speech aside from running a revolutionary cause.

For the purpose of moving along she accepted it as her own fault, reaching out to squeeze his shoulder , smiling softly and pouting all the same. Only when he returned the gesture did she feel once again reposeful.

"I'll look for something else to use as practice."

He nodded, shifting to press his lips on the underside of her ear timidly. "Perhaps a someone would be better."

"A small someone?" She turned away, unused to the sensation.

"Depends on how small. I couldn't let you harm a child."

"No, I don't think I could even dream of hurting someone like that." But she shrugged and Noatak's lips curled into a small, mischievous smile. "Now really stop that." Korra heaved.

Later that evening she left Noatak, wandering through the gardens so she could avoid them. The incident involving the poor, tiny Gen unsettled her and trying to mediate here now became fruitless. All she'd end up doing would be musing over the thing .

Mako kindly stayed in his quarters, leaving Korra to linger down the halls near her own room after giving up find anywhere outside to sit. The kitchens weren't too far off, although trying to refrain from overeating stopped the idea short.

"Hey buddy!" Bolin rounded the corner, the sweet scent of gingered candies wafting and her stomach gargled.

"Bo, what are you doing? You know I'm trying to fast."

He waved her off, "I know, I know. You caught me." Then he beamed brightly at her, hesitantly presenting her a small portion of the tiny delicacies.

Tiny. Like a small, harmless kitten buttering you up with all it's nuzzling and loving, weeping cries of affection.

"It couldn't hurt could it? Everyone deserves a treat now and then—"

"Thanks Bo. An Otter—Kitten you are." And her hand hovered over his in acceptance."

"Don't say that." He fussed. "Especially after yesterday. Let me be just good old Bolin, eh?"

His eyes feel and she remembered fiercely what she was striving to avoid in the face of the others. "Yesterday wasn't so bad really. It couldn't have even been called a cat, in fact like I said before it looked more like a baby rabbit—hawk."

"Still upsetting." His cheeks flushed when she prodded his wrist meagerly before snatching up what he had offered.

"Please don't fret over it. I already am dealing with people doing silly things to get on my nerves, and I hate it when you're sad. Perhaps you wouldn't mind mediating with me? Mako's wearing me out and I'm not exactly in the best of places when that happens."

Bolin nodded happily, making Korra return her hand to his wrist and lead him along outside by the water. The moon gazed down at them, allowing her to debate if they should wait till early morning in-between both sun and moon.

"That's fine with me. I'm not really up to anything tomorrow!" He gave her a thumbs up.

Bolin truly was kind—he wasn't tainted, most of all he certainly was a someone. A shadow passed behind her vision.


	5. Trip

A new chapter for you all! Hurrah! There'll be regular updates starting around October, or if I'm lucky late September. Otherwise please enjoy x3

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Her blood ran cold, a shiver coursing through as she screamed awake. Sweet poured coated her as she felt like she was an inferno, the sheets snuggly wrapped around her intensifying, trapping her in her attempt to escaped. The room was dark, a lone figure beside her. Had she not noticed the familiar green glow of it's eyes there'd be hell to pay.

Instead she jolted forward into him. "Get these things off me."

She was panting but he complied, worry faltering his features. Why was Bolin here, and where was Mako, or Tenzin for that matter? Pulling arms away proved painful. Her muscles ached and her arms became dead weight in an effort to stretch the pain away. "Whaa…I don't-"

"I'm so glad you're awake!" Bolin gently embraced her and her mouth tasted dry. The reality of the situation came barreling down all at once. The images were fresh, killing cats and trying to speak with spirits that didn't exist. Killing-, Korra looked Bolin straight in the eyes.

Trying to feel his cheek would be useless, so she simply stated it for conformation, "You're alive."

Somehow it made him calm and he smiled a tad. "Yep, genuine Bolin here in the flesh! But I can only guess, so here," he pressed his cheek on her damp one briefly. "So just a bad dream. You've been out a good while. Everyone's asleep but I had this really big, sudden urge to come check up on you while out looking for the bathroom."

"You lost the bathroom?"

"Heh." He grinned.

"So," Craning her neck slowly round seemed hard than moving her arms up past her shoulders, yet she managed with several popping sounds in suit. "I don't understand."

"Do you…uh." He tensed up, obviously working out a way to best explain. "Do you remember you and Mako going off to take down Amon?"

Amon, the Equalist leader, dead along with his brother, Tarrlok. Their last physical encounter ended in him falling down into the ocean, and ultimately revealing his secret. Korra otherwise…She flexed her fingers, hoping a flame would burst out from the darkness that came so easily in her dreams. Nothing, enlightening her to a darker validity. Amon stripped her of her bending. At least, everything other than air bending.

That's right.

Focusing every ounce of her energy she mustered a small breeze that tussled Bolin's curl up in a moment of awe. "I do."

"You passed out almost right after Amon escaped. Mako was carrying you when we find you guys. It's been days, and well, I've been worried. I mean, we all have been just."

She nodded, slouching back. "If I ask you to stay, would that upset you?"

Hurt flickered his eyes, granted he nodded no. Of course he wouldn't say no, Bolin being one of her great friends, his kindness immense. In her dreams this happened to be his greatest weakness, burying her instantly in guilt. He made himself fit awkwardly by her side, curling an arm over his head so they could both fit comfortably. His breathe tickled her ear soothingly, her body slowly cooling in the chilly air free from the confinement of sheets. "You can steal them if you'd like. I'm sure I won't be needing them again."

"S'okay. I'm a heater all on my own."  
"Stop that, tough guy. I seriously won't mind. " But he reached out to squeeze her hand timidly. The door must have been cracked since the familiar waddling of Bolin's trusted pet sounded across the floor and eventually made his little way over in-between the two of them. Touching Pabu's fur scared her as much as waking to see Bolin's eyes. However, she easily reminded herself Pabu wasn't in her nightmares once, because certainly they weren't just dreams. No, there were something far worse.  
Sighing she squeezed back, pleased. "I doubt I can sleep."

He nodded idly. "You're safe here with me. Need water or something?"

"I'll wait. T-thank you."

Definitely too kind. "Mmm, you bet. I'm mostly rested so I'll up for talking till you doze, and if you end up having another nightmare I'll be right here to wake you up."

She frowned. "You haven't been sleeping well, worrying. Ugh! I hate being so…" Vulnerable. Her fate could have been awful waking to Mako's eyes peering down from the darkness,-there had been no confession, no kiss, most of all sudden bitterness. She might've punched him had she the strength, falling victim to everything, and she certainly couldn't see Mako going out of his means to comfort her like this.

Nothing sat well. Minutes ticked by in silence when she noticed the hot tears streaming down her face. No cliff to contemplate over, Bolin wouldn't let her imagine it how he went about stroking her hand when he realized. Trying to wipe them away would be too intimate even though she really wanted to him reach out despite the fact.  
What then could she do? "I'm sorry." She croaked, gradually turned over to better face him, draping an arm over Pabu's dozing form.

"Korra-"

This conversation was so familiar it burned dreadfully inside her chest, yet she fear more. Days of fear marked the life of the Avatar and her greatest achievement to date. "Don't close you eyes-blink, please blink but-"

Completely out of tact he drew close, pressing lightly against her lips with his own in a mock attempt to soothe her. She knew it was wrong, should have stopped-he wasn't Mako, his eyes wide open the entire time. It chilled her blood, wiping out what she was truly trying to avoid.

A strong jaw, accenting the dark brown hair slicked back, the blue, deep ocean eyes and a charming smile. And pity would strike her. Longing would consume her, deep in her bones because it chased away all the other demons, the taunting phantom never truly leaving mind after it was over. Should a demon become a savoir she'd never understand.  
Should she close her eyes, he'd be all she'd see.


End file.
